Professor Malfoy
by Emmaplease
Summary: The Battle of Hogwarts is over and Draco Malfoy decides he needs to make amends in this new world. Not a oneshot, for a change! Please R&R!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N Well, this is pretty much my first ever fic from a Draco Malfoy-centric world...I'm surprisingly addicted to it already, despite dodgy present tense and its a bit angsty, too. Anyway, my first non-oneshot in the Harry Potter universe,except this really old one I'm not going to go into...hmm. Well. Enjoy!  
**

The battle is over and a new world has begun.

These are the words that come out of Professor Minerva McGonagall's mouth, when the excitement dies down, when everyone is ready to hear what other people have to say and not just rejoice in their own happiness. Draco Malfoy feels as though she is speaking directly to him, looking at him with, ironically enough, Dumbledore's gaze. There are heroes sitting at these tables, brave men, women and children who have defeated the darkest evil known to wizardkind with almost no regard for their own safety, and here he sits, a traitor, only alive because Voldemort died before his orders could be carried out. He has no place here.

Draco Malfoy sits at the same table as these heroes and knows he does not belong. He looks at his mother, who is watching him nervously, and cannot find it within him to hate her. She has the same motives as he himself - to keep Draco Malfoy alive for as long as possible.

Draco fights the urge to spit in disgust at the whole Malfoy family.

Professor McGonagall has left the staff table and is heading up to the Headmistresses office, and Draco Malfoy makes a decision. He waits for the Great Hall to become suitably rowdy, then slips out whilst his mother is greeting Andromeda Tonks tearfully, another reunion. The Great Hall is quiet comparatively, with hardly anybody but a few over-joyful couples celebrating the victory in their own way. Malfoy snorts and heads towards the office, ignoring the annoyed looks given to him as he passes the over-zealous students. Finally, he reaches the headmistresses office, and within he can hear Professor McGonagall talking to someone. He recognises his voice - it is Harry Potter, Potter the hero. Draco Malfoy nearly gives up then and there, but he has made his decision and he sticks to it. Stiffening his resolve, he knocks at the door.

It swings open, revealing McGonagall and Potter looking at him accusatorily.

"C-could I have a word, Professor?" asks Malfoy, cursing his suddenly weak and stuttery voice.

McGonagall raises an eyebrow.

"Go ahead, Mr Malfoy," she says finally, motioning him in.

"In private, Professor?"

"Whatever you want to say to me you can say to Mr Potter."

_Fine, _thinks Draco, and then out loud - "Well...I know, I've been...um..." It is the only word he can think of, "utterly crap since possibly the day I was born."

Potter snorts.

"But I'd like to start making amends for that. So...I was wondering, if I could teach. Here."

McGonagall has the grace to look surprised.

"And what post would you be looking towards taking on, Mr Malfoy?"

Malfoy curses. He hasn't thought of this.

"Wherever you have a vacancy, Professor. I have my NEWTS, if I pass them at least, and...well" and he is suddenly embarrassed, "I want to teach people not to follow my example. To teach them not to do what I have done."

"Muggle Studies?" suggests Potter, smirking.

"I'm afraid Mr Malfoy hasn't even got an OWL in that, Harry. I'm sorry to disappoint you." says McGonagall, still thinking, but her lips unconciously curving into a smile. "Okay, Malfoy. We'll be needing a new Charms teacher, as Professor Flitwick is moving into Transfiguration, because obviously I can't teach that anymore. How would that suit you?"

Draco Malfoy hasn't realised he's been holding his breath with anticipation until he lets it out in one big, long woosh.

"Thankyou, Professor," he says, forgetting his usual arrogant mannerisms in his sudden and amazing gratitude, "I won't let you down. I promise!"

McGonagall is smiling openly, instinctively happy at the change in strange Draco Malfoy..

"I'll contact you by owl in the summer after your NEWT results come in, Mr Malfoy. You may leave now."

Professor McGonagall and Harry Potter watch the door as it swings shut, and swear they can hear whistling as Draco Malfoy leaves the corridor.

**A/N. AHEM blue...button...PRESS! REVIEW! Please?**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

**A/N - I myself find I'm strangely addicted to this fic...it's really random, but will hopefully HOPEFULLY be OC free. I'm crossing my fingers here. I hate OCs. So, I have no idea what I'm going to write yet. But, enjoy!**

Draco Malfoy watched out of the window in the 'cottage' that his family were holidaying in over the summer. The owl carrying his NEWT results had arrived yesterday, with satisfactory results, especially in Charms, which Draco was relieved to find out he had achieved Outstanding in.

_Yes, very satisfactory, _thought Draco, admiring his new shoes, _mother was very happy._

Now, though, came the important part. McGonagall was writing today, he was sure, and when it came...well, it was going to make a difference in his life.

On the horizon appeared a single black dot, that zoomed in closer and closer as the owl heaved its way towards its destination. Draco frowned and stuck his head out the window as the owl drew near enough to the house, and flapped its way through the window, hitting the window frame on the way in like it was drunk.

Malfoy flicked its beak.

"Watch it, mate. Those walls are 1000 years old."

The owl looked at him reproachfully.

Draco scowled at it.

"Let me read my letter in peace, sparrow."

He exhaled sharply, reminding himself what was in the letter he was about to open, and tried to pretend his hands weren't shaking as he flipped the envelope open, the red sealing wax sticking momentarily, then giving to the pressure of his finger. Slowly, he slid the letter out, listening to the _shush _sound it made as it rubbed the sides of the envelope. Then, he turned the parchment open and read the few brief lines in McGonagalls neat italic handwriting.

_Dear Mr Malfoy, _it said,

_Following our conversation last term, I notice you have achieved the required grades as promised. Upon enquiry, the examiner informed me that your Charms score was particularly high, which is ideal given the circumstance. Thus, I would of course be delighted to acquiesce your request and offer you the post of Teacher of Charms. _

_A brief word, though, on whether or not you would wish to reconsider. Many of Hogwart's current students were very active in the war against Voldemort, and they do not trust you as I do. Upon taking this job, you may find a great deal of adversity at Hogwarts. Of course, should you decide to accept the post you will have the full support of both the faculty and I._

_Please send word of your acceptance, but to save on time (Headmistress does seem to take up one's spare time!) I enclose the details of your post within._

Malfoy grinned automatically to himself as he realised he'd done it, then put the paper to one side and read the information underneath.

_Dear staff,_

_Welcome back to another year at Hogwarts! Most of you will already know this, but bear in mind the following:_

_Please arrive at Hogwarts no later than half an hour before the feast begins. You will be required to chaperone the carriages and the students as ever._

_Once the students are all inside, take your places at the staff table - please don't be late. _

_The staffroom is situated on the third floor by the statue of Pepin the Short at the Battle of Hierophants. The password this term will be _Bagshot.

_Please find enclosed your timetables, and stick to them._

_Heads of Houses will need to brief their prefects at some point on the evening of, or the morning after, the feast. Their main duties have already been explained to them, but we at Hogwarts like the personal touch!_

_Staff meetings are held every Wednesday at a quarter past eight. All staff will be required to attend._

_A final note: obviously, Hogwarts is recovering from a great tragedy following the Battle. Please, be patient. Many students have experienced personal losses, and more still went through great trauma at the hands of Severus Snape and the Carrows last year. Please bear this in mind when dealing with students, and those teaching more active subjects - Defence Against the Dark Arts and the like - be aware that many students may be wary of dangerous potions or curses still. _

_Yours,_

_Minerva McGonagall_

Malfoy frowned lightly to himself, then placed the staff letter on top of the other one.

Underneath was a thicker bundle - his timetable, along with student lists for every class he had. Not even bothering to look through them, he reconstituted the bundle, then looked at it, and unfamiliar bubble of joy growing in his heart.

In a week's time, he would be a teacher. At _Hogwarts._

_In the staff room. With the staff._

Malfoy chuckled to himself, imagining making small talk with Professor Binns, or Professor Trelawney, then stuffed the letter in his pocket and headed out to do some Quidditch practice.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N THIS IS NOT A MALFOY/GINNY FIC!! Just, they're frenemies atm. This is all a bit Draco/Ginny, but it won't last. It just...came to me, I guess. I'm also having trouble deciding whether to call Malfoy Malfoy, or Draco. I just can't get used to calling him Draco!**

3 weeks later, Malfoy found himself knocking at the door of McGonagall's office once more.

"Come in!" she called from within, and Malfoy entered silently, hiding the fact that, for the second time in such a short space of time, he was nervous again.

"Professor Malfoy!" she said cordially, getting up and shaking his hand. "Welcome to Hogwarts! Perfectly on time, I see."

Malfoy looked at his watch. It was exactly half an hour before the students were due to arrive.

"I'll show you to your office," said McGonagall, heading out of the door. A black cat followed her out, rubbing against Draco's ankles leisurely.

"Watch her," said McGonagall, looking back, unconcerned, "I got her off Mrs Figg. Think she's part Kneazle."

Half an hour later, Malfoy found himself chaperoning second years out of the carriages into the entrance hall.

_They really are midgets, _thought Malfoy, more amused than patronising, as he ushered 3 triplets that had tried to stick bits of treacle tart in his hair last year.

Across the hall, a group of seventh years entered, like a flock of birds. Malfoy thought he saw Ginny Weasley in there, and hastily headed for the Great Hall. Out of all the students at Hogwarts, Ginny was the one he really wanted to avoid. Far too close to the Potters.

"OI!" came a voice from behind him.

Slowly, Malfoy turned round to see the 7th year group looking at him venomously. He clocked Ginny at the front of the group, accompanied someone ridiculously short who Malfoy recognised, but couldn't put a name to.

Ginny's eyes widened when she saw his face until Malfoy thought they might have dropped straight out of her head.

She walked briskly towards him. brushing off short person as he tried to follow.

"A word, Malfoy," she said, her voice dripping with hatred.

"That's Professor Malfoy, Weasley." said Malfoy, smirking, "Or sir?"

Ginny looked at him, surprised, which she quickly turned into a look that would burn the lining of a snake's stomach.

"I said, a word, Malfoy."

Malfoy's smirk widened, but he followed her up the staircase until it wound round the corner out of sight, turning round to check no-one was following, then turning back to Ginny.

He was greeted by a stinging slap that set the skin on his face on fire.

"Ow!"

"That," said Ginny, letting off a tirade of words against him, "was for being an absolute jerk for the last seven years, and for being a spineless idiot, and trying to kill Dumbledore! Et cetera!"

"Ow?" said Draco again, touching his cheek gingerly, "Could you not have got this over with after the Battle? I can't go in there with my face on fire!"

Ginny whacked him again, cuffing him round the head.

"I was too busy grieving for my brother that night, jerk!"

Malfoy was shocked into silence.

"Didn't you know?" asked Ginny, looking at him incredulously, her anger fading.

Malfoy shook his head slowly.

"What about the rest of them? Everyone else that died?"

Malfoy shrugged.

"I've not been outside Malfoy grounds all summer." he said.

"And you never even bothered to find out? You _are_ a bastard, aren't you Malfoy?" It was a rhetorical question, "come on. There's something you need to see."

"I'm supposed to be at the feast-" started Malfoy.

"So am I," said Ginny flatly.

"You won't be missed." argued Malfoy, "As a teacher on my first day, I probably will."

"Oh, shut up Malfoy," she said, heading for the grounds.

Malfoy followed her, cursing under his breath.

"You'll get me into trouble." he said, trying to keep up with her brisk pace.

"Then why are you following me?" queried Ginny smoothly.

That shut Malfoy up for a while.

They made it into the grounds, heading through the Quidditch pitch and out the other side.

"Ginny?" asked Malfoy, catching her up as she navigated a fallen tree trunk.

"What, Malfoy?" she asked irritably, inspecting her fingernails frustratedly. "Ruined, absolutely ruined. I painted these last night."

_Girls, _thought Malfoy exasperatedly, and then:

"Which one was it?"

"What?" asked Ginny, ducking under a low branch.

"Which brother died?"

"Oh." said Ginny, her voice unexpectedly softer. "Fred. One of the twins."

"Oh." said Malfoy in return, unsure of what he was supposed to say, and trying vaguely to remember which one that was.

Ginny laughed.

"Malfoy speechless! This will go down in my memory. Anyway, we're here now."

Malfoy looked at her, perplexed. It was Dumbledore's tomb.

"I've seen this," he said, "I came to the funeral."

"You did?" asked Ginny, then brushed it off. "Doesn't matter. It's what's behind it I'm talking about."

Malfoy squinted into the darkness, registering the sheen of black marble, then caught Ginny's exasperated look.

"Oh." he said, feeling stupid, then drew out his wand and muttered "_Lumos."_

By the flickering wandlight, he caught the sight of names engraved into black marble.

"So this is..." he began, looking at Ginny for confirmation. She nodded.

Malfoy took a deep breath and edged closer to the memorial, inspecting the names.

Most of them he didn't recognise, except a few. He noticed the surname Tonks, and wondered if she was related to his mother.

"Creevey," muttered Malfoy, "He's the little squirt-"

"With the camera, yeah," supplied Ginny helpfully.

Malfoy swore.

"What was he doing there? He was just a kid, that's wrong!"

Ginny shrugged.

"He idolised Harry. Of course he'd try and sneak back, lots of people would. I did."

Malfoy continued to read the memorial in silence until he reached the end of the names, then turned to Ginny.

"So you and him are-" he looked at her, trying to get the point across.

"_Yes, _he and I are-" she inserted the same look back mockingly at him, "not that it's any of your beeswax. You done?"

Malfoy nodded, easing himself back up to a standard position.

"McGonagall will do her nut," he said, extinguishing his wand, "she expressly told us not to be late to the feast."

Ginny looked at her watch.

"It's only been half an hour, and I was one of the first in. The last students are probably only just arriving- if we get back fast enough, you won't be that late." she said, looking towards the castle.

"We won't though," said Malfoy glumly, starting to pick his way through the bushes.

A wicked grin spread across Ginny's face.

"I have a better idea," she said, and then stuck two fingers in her mouth and whistled.

A large, black shape flew against the sky and landed swiftly, with a rush of air past Malfoy's face.

"Buckbeak and I have got much closer over the summer, haven't we Beaky?" she smiled at Malfoy, ruffling the hippogriff's feathers. "Doesn't even need me to bow anymore!"

Malfoy looked at it in horror, remembering the last time he and Buckbeak had met.

"Oh," said Ginny, furrowing her brow, "I forgot about that."

"Good for you," said Malfoy, stepping back a little.

"Don't be a girl, Malfoy. You'll just have to prove to him you've changed." she said, and her eyes said _prove to me you've changed, _"and if you can't- well, if I can't handle a hippogriff, you might as well leave me to the acromantula. So," she finished, turning to Buckbeak, "Bucky? This is Draco. He won't hurt you..." Gently, she ruffled his feathers. Taking his cue, Malfoy walked slowly forward and bowed to the hippogriff, truing to communicate that he _was _sorry (and, he realised, he was) and just how much he'd changed.

Shaking off Ginny, Buckbeak trotted forwards and stuck out his neck towards Draco. Terrified, he shut his eyes and stood stock still, feeling the bird dig its beak into his hair.

Finally, Buckbeak stepped back. Cautiously, Malfoy opened one eye and saw Buckbeak cast a leaf away, evidently taken from his hair after the scramble here. Malfoy began to relax and opened his other eye, noticing Ginny absolutely wetting herself laughing.

"Shut up, Weasley," he said stiffly, extending a careful hand towards the hippogriff, "if we get there too late, I'm docking points from Gryffindor."

"I dare you to," said Ginny, trying to keep a straight face and mount a hippogriff at the same time.

A few embarrassing minutes later, Draco found himself mounted behind her. The hippogriff took off jerkily and they headed back to the castle through the dark of Hogwarts' night.

**A/N Odd question...did I make up the memorial thing? I know I've read it somewhere before, either I wrote it, or its another fanfic...it might even be in the books. I'm going nuts, I tell you.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N It's been a while, hasn't it? Meh. Hope you enjoy. Don't even ask about the rhino.**

The hippogriff landed on the ground heavily, bringing up a cloud of dust from the path. Very slowly, Malfoy got off and smoothed his hair, waiting for the world to stop spinning before his eyes.

"I hate hippogriffs." he said, brushing feathers off his robes.

Buckbeak let out a squawk of annoyance and Ginny giggled, ruffling his feathers one more times before sending him off to Hagrid's hut.

"Bye, Beaky!" she called after him, climbing the steps towards the light of the Great Hall. Malfoy blinked twice, checking the world was standing still again, and followed her.

o0o

Everyone was already settled by the time they got to the Great Hall, and the low murmur of chatter hit them before they even entered the room. Taking a deep breath, Malfoy opened the door. A thousand faces turned to him, burning into his own. Malfoy bit his lip. Trying to act like normal, Ginny walked steadily to the Gryffindor table without a backward glance at Malfoy, standing alone in the middle of a sea of people. The entire hall fell completely silent. Wishing he was anywhere else but there, Malfoy began to walk stiffly towards the staff table, carefully ignoring the stares of the students.

"Traitor!" yelled someone, their voice ringing out in the silence.

"Voldemort lover!" came the voice of someone else.

"Coward!"

"Spy!"

"Death-eater!"

The tirade continued as he inched along the hall. Horrified, Draco felt tears spring to the corners of his eyes. He blinked them back furiously, focusing on the empty chair at the staff table and ignoring the catcalls and booing from those around chair got closer. A chant had started up.

MALFOY OUT! MALFOY OUT!

He reached the end of the aisle and walked along the staff table.

MALFOY OUT! MALFOY OUT!

Turned the corner and made his way along to his chair.

MALFOY OUT! MALFOY OUT!

Sat down and faced the hoardes of people dead set against him

.

OUT! OUT! OUT!

McGonagall stood up and tried to speak.

OUT! OUT! OUT!

Malfoy watched, steadfast, his heart hammering.

OUT! OUT! OUT!

McGonagall raised her wand and a roaring, ethereal rhinocerous shot out, swooping low over the tables and heading out of the door.

The chant faded to silence.

"Now!" she said, her face beetroot red with anger, "I hope you are finished! And I never, ever want to see such despicable behaviour from students of Hogwarts School! And mark this!" she continued, banging her hand against the table, "Should any one of you show such a vile, rowdy and unneccessary show of _hate _towards a member of my faculty again, you _will _be on the first train home, and I will NOT be merciful!"

She paused, and the whole school watched her, not daring to comment.

"Thankyou," she said finally, "it's a shame we had to start the year in such a manner. Now if you will kindly permit me, there are a few things I have to say before we go on with the sorting."

Malfoy breathed a juddery sigh of relief that his walk of shame was over, trying to set his heart back to normal.

McGonagall began to talk to the students about the coming year, and gradually Malfoy felt their hysteria absorb back into them. Satisfied the immediate danger was over, Malfoy let his mind wander...over anything. Teaching plans, old Charms stuff he'd relearnt over the summer, the ride on Buckbeak...

He was brought back by a delicate tap on the elbow by Professor Flitwick.

"Professor Malfoy, Professor McGonagall just invited you to explain your post here, if you would like."

Malfoy looked up and saw the Hogwarts students watching him expectantly, clearly hoping for an epic fail.

Malfoy gulped and stood up.

"Uh...hi," he said, testing the water, "I'm Malfoy...um, Professor Malfoy." he let out a nervous giggle. Nobody laughed. Malfoy winced.

"Okay. So...I'm teaching Charms this year, and yeah, I like Charms. I was good at Charms at school which, for those of you who weren't already aware, was only last year. But lets face it, I'm not really here for Charms. Well, I am. As a Charms teacher. But...well last year, we all know a lot of things went on. And I'm not ashamed to tell you, I was on the wrong side of these things. I sided with Voldemort, because my family sided with Voldemort, and I liked the idea of the power it might have given me, and I was, at the bottom of everything, an idiot. But after the battle, I sat there, only alive because my mother betrayed Voldemort, and...well basically, I felt like a piece of shit...poo, I felt like a piece of poo. I _was _a piece of...poo. And I don't deserve any chances you might see fit to give me, I deserve to be cast away, bound up in chains and left to rot, and yet. Here I am. For god knows what reason, I got a second chance and I do not intend to waste it. You've made it clear to me that you won't make it easy, and that's good. I'm going to prove to you that I've changed, and I want to start making amends."

Suddenly drained, Malfoy finished off.

"So that's me. I look forward to teaching you."

He sat down, watching the students warily. No-one clapped, but no-one was booing either, which Malfoy took as a good sign.

The sorting passed quickly, a row of midgets being moved down the aisle mechanically, hufflepuff, gryffindor, ravenclaw, hufflepuff, slytherin, and then the food appeared on the table.

Malfoy helped himself to potatoes with the feeling that, whilst he wasn't accepted yet, and there was undoubtedly hardship to come, there was still hope that he wouldn't fail.

**A/N You like? I like. Malfoy' s speech doesn't make alot of sense, but it's late and I feel like I oughtta post something.**


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